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So you hired the best candid photographer around and yet you just want to untag yourself from all the photos on Facebook. That’s probably not his mistake, and for many people knowing how to pose (without really posing) is the key to looking great in photos. Its okay to pose: Know the ones you want while we adore candid photography, it is perfectly alright, hell even recommended to have a few shots bookmarked which you know you want. Maybe this is the shot where you lift your lehenga ever so slightly to walk up a step, or when you adjust a nose ring. Study the kind of shots you want from this list here and make a mental note of them.

Find the light

There will always be one light source which is dominant in your banquet hall or open lawn. Try and tilt your head so that your face is in the line of the light source for more radiant pictures.

Real smile

If you take in a deep breath and smile, your posture immediately improves with your tummy looking flatter, your chest area looking more straight. Then as soon as the photographer is going to click, let your breath out and smile without losing the posture. Your face looks more relaxed and your smile looks more genuine.

For the bride: Adjust your dress when you sit

No matter how fit you are, if you have a short blouse and you sit on your seat, your tummy tends to bulge out a bit. Use your dupatta cleverly to place it infront while you sit, or pull up your lehenga ever so slightly just before sitting for making sure you get the best photos.

For the groom: Sherwani’s can be criminal while sitting

So most men don’t realize this but a very unbecoming angle is when they sit facing the camera directly, and the photographer ends up having a direct view of the crotch area. Avoid this by draping a stole at the appropriate place.

Know your Angles

Lift your chin slightly higher and tilt your head at a slight angle to the camera, not looking straight at it. The raised chin gives an illusion of a longer neck, and the tilt creates angles on your face making you look a million times better than if you faced the camera straight on.

Keep arms away from body

If you photographer is clicking you from an angle, and your arm is stuck to your body, it can probably give an illusion of looking bigger than it is. Noticed how celebrities pose? Both hands on hip? That is because that silhouette makes you look fitter. While you don’t need to look that dramatic, having one hand on the hip helps. If you are against a wall, don’t smash your arms against the wall, let them breathe.

Be goofy, candid, fun…

It’s ok to laugh, giggle, scowl, stick your tongue out and be natural. The best wedding photos will be those where you are completely natural.

Avoid glitter in makeup and high SPF foundations

While a small amount of glitter is alright, nothing can cause scary bride photos than chunky glitter used as an eyeshadow or blush. Moreover, foundations with high SPF (over 30) can sometimes reflect light and cause a white flash in photos. While this isn’t the case with all foundations, it is something to ponder about.

Shoulders make all the difference

Shoulders scrunched up are a very common sight with Indian brides because the weight of their dupattas or sarees is so heavy that shoulder naturally gets tense. Make sure your shoulder is upright but in a relaxed, straight line.